Oil feeding and atomizing device for oil burners and other equipment



Patented Sept. 2, 1930 LOUIS LAVQIE, OF QUEBEC, QUEBEC, CANADA PATENT OFFICE OIL FEEDING AND ATOMIZING DEVICE FOR OIL BURNERS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT Application filed April 2,

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fuel feeding and atomizing devices for furnaces, and the like, and the object of the invention is to provide an easily controlled mechanically operated device of simple construction which will be safe in operation and in which the number of moving parts necessary for feeding and forcing the fuel in vaporized or atomized form to the furnace will be reduced to a minimum.

.According to my invention, the force necessary for the vaporization 0r atomization of the oil is obtained by regulating the vacuum within the supply tank and the oil outlet therefrom, so that the pressure differencebetween them is such that the oil, as it is drawn from the supply tank, is broken up-or atomized and mixed with the necessary amount of air for combustion of the fuel as it is fed or forced into the furnace. The vacuum within the tank is maintained at a predetermined value necessary for raising the 'oil from a storage tank into the supply tank, and means are provided for maintainr ing the oil at a predetermined level within the supply tank. The vaporized fuel is forced into the furnace by a power driven air pump, the outlet from which terminates in a nozzle which is surrounded by the discharge pipe of a blast fan, the air from which assists in supporting the vaporized fuel within the furnace and, also, supplies sufficient air to assist in the complete combustion of the fuel.

In the drawings which illustrate one form of my. invention Figure 1 is a part sectional side elevation of myimproved apparatus for feeding and atomizing fuel for a furnace.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device showing the supports.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a modified type of oil supply tank. Referring more particularly to the drawings, and in particular to Figures 1 and 2, 11 designates a storage tank for fuel which is connected to the furnace fuel supply tank 12, by means of the pipe 18. The free end 14 of the pipe 13 projects into the tank 11 and is spaced a short distance from the bottom thereof, so that all the oil may be withdrawn 1927. Serial No. 180,472.

by the vacuum set up in the fuel supply tank 12. The other end of the pipe communicates with a filtering chamber 15, formed in the supply tank 12. The chamber communicates with the interior of the tank 12 through the passageway 16, one end of which is covered by any of the well-known filtering mediums, such'as the gauze screen 17 The opening into the tank 12 is controlled by a needle valve 18, which is connected to a. float 19, the rise and fall of which closes or opens the needle valve. The outlet from the passageway 16 is positioned above the level of the fluid in the supply tank. Positioned above the level of the oil in the chamber 12 and secured to the top thereof, is the vacuum controlling chamber 21, Within which is mounted an atmospheric diaphragm 22; The diaphragm has a projection which fits into an aperture in the wall of the chamber 21 on its underside. The upper side of the diaphragm has a conical projection which fits into a recess 2st formed on the underside of a low vacuum regulating screw The recess 24 communicates with the main vacuum line 25 formed in the wall of the tank 12. In the drawing, the line 25 is horizontally disposed and communicates with the atmosphere through the end 26, which may be threaded, and closed by a screw operated conicallyshaped valve 27. Formed in the side of the tank and communicating with the line or aperture 25, is the vertically disposed aperture 28, the lower end of which is connected to the'suction side 29 of an air pump 30, by means of the pipe 31. Also formed in the side wall of the tank is the oiloutlet channel 32, the lower end of which communicates with the lower part of the oil chamber 12, while the upper end communicates with the aperture 28 at a point above the level of the oil in the feed chamber of tank 12. "Passing through the wall in the chamber is the oil feed valve 33, which comprises a needle valve 34, the end of which fitsinto the upper end of the oil outlet channel. The outlet of the air pump, whichis preferably of the rotary blade type as shown, passes through the wall of the outlet pipe 36, from an air blast fan 37, and terminates in a spraying nozzle 38 of any RElSSUED desired form. The outlet pipe 36 entirely surrounds the air pump outlet pipe. In the drawing shown in Figure 2, I have shown a simple arrangement for mounting the various parts of my improved a-tomizing and feeding device. The fuel feed tank is mounted on a plurality of pipe supports 39. The blast fan air pump and the motor 40 which drives same, are all coupled together and mounted s'lidably on the supports, so that the height of the discharge ends of the air fan and pump may be quickly and easily adjusted to suit the height of the furnace opening. The connections between the air pump and the oil feeding chamber may be made to suit the dis tance between them. or flexible tubing may be conveniently used for this purpose. A bypass pipe 41 may be connected to the discharge side of the air pump and to the oil feed outlet in the oil feed chamber above the oil level. A suitable regulating valve 42 may be mounted in the said pipe 41.

In the modified type of tank shown in Figure 3, oil is fed into the tank through the pipe 13 which is connected -to the tank by means of the threaded nipple 45. The nipple is recessed at its upper end 46 and said recess communicates with the oil inlet apertures 4L7 in the nipple. The shoulder between the aperture 47 and the aperture 46 forms a valve seat 48 for a needle valve as), suspended from and attached to an atmospheric diaphragm, or controlling member, 50. Oil inlet apertures 51 are formed in the guide member to allow oil to pass therethrough into the bottom of the tank. The member is suspended on a pin 52 passing through lugs 53 formed in the upper wall of the tank. The lugs are slotted to allow the upwardly projecting valve closing member 53 to close the opening between the interior of the tank 12, and the vacuum line, or channel, 25, formed in the upper wall of the tank. A valve 27 may be provided at the opening of the line 25. Communicating with the line 25 and formed in the wall of the tank, is the channel 28 which is connected to the suction end of the air pump in a similar manner to that shown in Figure 1. An oil outlet pipe 82 communicates with the chan nel 28 above the level of the oil in the tank and the other end of the said pipe may be positioned in close proximity to the bottom of the tank. An oil feed control valve 35 is employed to control the opening into the line 28.

In operation the air pump sets up a vacuum in the main vacuum line and in the fuel feed supply tank, and the vacuum in the tank is maintained at a predetermined value by means of the bellows type atmospheric diaphragm mounted on the upper side of the tank. By regulating the screw above the diaphragm, in the device shown in Figure 1, the vacuum within the tank may be regulated to a sufficient degree to raise the oil from the storage tank into the fuel feed tank. The level of the oil within the feed tank is kept below the inlet thereto, by means of the float valve, so that if the vacuum is broken. the oil will be held within the fuel feed tank. In the device shown in Figure 3, by adjusting thevalve E27 the vacuum in the tank and the outlet pipe may be easily and conveniently regulated and should the vacuum be broken through any unknown reason, the atmospheric diaphragm expands and closes the valves into the tank. The force necessary for vaporizing or atomizing the oil is obtained by adjusting the valve 27 or 27, so that there is sufficient difference between the vacuum at this point and that of the vacuum in the chamber containing the oil, to obtain the required injection power to atomize the oil to a degree necessary for combustion at the oil discharge outlet controlled by the needle valve. As a further means of controlling the pressure, the valve in the by-pass may be regulated to increase the velocity of the oil discharge. The vaporized fuel is drawn into the fan and delivered to the furnace through the nozzle, and air necessary for complete combustion of the fuel may be supplied by the blast fan. The device is very easily mounted in position and may be adjusted to the required height to suit any type of furnace. The device may be mounted for right or left hand position. It will. be readily seen that there are very few movable parts used in the construction which is simple and com pact and very easily installed.

It will be readily understood that modifications may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention and such modifications may include the removal of the float valve and the needle valve from the filtration chamber, as it has been found from experiments that once the oil has filled the oil feeding chamber and the diaphragm has closed the opening to the suction line, the oil is fed to the pump wit-hout any variation and the valve from the filtration chamber may be opened suflicient to regulate the supply so that it coincides with the discharge.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a fuel feeding device, an oil tank, an air pump, an enclosed channel connecting the air pump with the tank, an atmospheric diaphragm mounted in the tank to regulate the degree of vacuum therein, adjustable means for regulating the degree of vacuum in the said channel, means for controlling the level of the oil in the tank, an oil outlet, one end of which communicates with the bottom of the tank, and the other end communicates with the channel above the oil level, means for regulating the flow of oil through the outlet into the channel.

, tank, said outlet communicating at one end with the tank near the bottom thereof and at the other end with the said channel above the level of the oil, a valve for controlling the flow of oil through the outlet, and means for regulating the degree of vacuum in the said channel, and having means connecting the discharge end of the air pump with the outlet in the tank to increase the velocity of the discharged oil.

3. In an oil feeding and atomizing device, a fuel feed tank, an oil storage tank positioned below thefeed tank and connected thereto, an air pump, an enclosed channel connecting the suction side of the pump with the tank, means for regulating the vacuum in the tank to raise the oil from the storage tank into the feed tank, means for regulating the degree of vacuum in the enclosed channel so that it differs from the vacuum in the tank, an oil outlet from the bottom of the tank and communicating with the enclosed channel above the oil level at the other end, means for regulating the flow of oil through the outlet, a float valve for controlling the level of the 2 oil in the tank, a pipe connecting the oil outlet with the discharge end of the air pump to increase the velocity of the discharge, an'air fan, the outlet from which surrounds the discharge pipe from the air pump, and a nozzle connected to the discharge pipe from the air pump.

4. A. device according to claim 3, in which the feed tank is mounted 011 rods and the air pump and air fan are driven by a motor, said air pump, fan and motor being coupled together and slidably mounted on the tank supporting rods.

5. In a fuel feeding and atomizing device, a fuel feed tank mounted on vertical support-s, an air pump, an air fan, a motor driving said pump and fan, said pump, fan and motor being secured to one another and mounted on the vertical supports so that they can be adjusted, pipe connecting the suction side of the pump with the oil tank, an oil outlet connecting the tank with the pipe, means to regulate the vacuum in the tank, means for regulating the vacuum in the pipe, a valve for regulating the oil discharge, and a discharge pipe from the pump passing through the discharge end of the fan.

6. In a fuel feeding device, an oil tank, an inlet thereto, a horizontally disposed vacuum line formed in the upper side of the tank and having an opening into the tank, a valve at my hand.

LOUIS LAVOIE. 

